Thanksgiving Aperitif

by Kim Cooper

Change up the normal Thanksgiving appetizer this year and spruce things a bit with an artisan cheese & bread tray. This is an ancient, simple, classic and delicious way of spoiling your guests this Thanksgiving. To make things extra special, pair a bold bottle of french wine with your selection of cheese (talk to your local Sommelier about which wine to select). We have pulled an excerpt from one of our favorite cookbooks on "The Perfect Cheese Platter", The Country Cooking of France by Anne Willan. You can find artisan cheese as your local Whole Foods, Central Market or Market Street and of course their isn't any better breads to pair with artisan cheese than The Village Baking Co. Sourdough located at Sprouts.

"In France, cheese is served between the main course and dessert, sometimes following green salad, and always with a generous basket of bread. Choose a wooden or marble board for serving. You can also use flat basket trays, but always line with doilies, paper napkins or best of all, vine leaves. In fact, almost any garden leaf that is flat, nontoxic, and not bitter is a pleasing substitute. At home, the ideal cheese board has three or four large pieces of different cheeses of contrasting texture and taste. France allows the rule of three: cheeses that are soft and velvety(chevres, Saint-Nectaire, or Tommes, for example);cheeses that are aromatic, ranging from Cantal to Camembert; and strong cheeses (blue and sheep cheeses, for instance, or smelly Epoisses). A Brie or a Mont d'Or can be perfect alone. Space your cheeses well apart on a serving board so their flavors do not mingle, and make sure that they are at room temperature. There is no rule to amounts, but I find 3 ounces per person is about right. " The Country Cooking of France by Anne Willan

Be sure to check back with us.....we will be posting more Thanksgiving ideas in the days to come!